Anderson Pacific Moves In With Neutral Path

A new regional player is taking shape in the Midwest. The investment group Anderson Pacific and the fiber operator Neutral Path have combined assets to relaunch with greater reach and a wider service portfolio.

Neutral Path had built out a route between Minneapolis and Omaha, providing a diverse way out of the northern market that bypassed Chicago while providing colo in Sioux City and metro access in Omaha as well. That network now extends all the way to Denver, with 1,300 route miles in all. On that network, they are offering dark fiber, wavelengths, and Ethernet services between key aggregation points.

Now the question becomes 'what next'? Do they build out further organically, or could this be a platform for consolidation of other regional assets? Or might someone larger with an interest in this region like Unite Private Networks or Consolidated Communications take notice and buy them out first?